Mercedes-Benz C200 Kompressor W204 Review

The C-Class has always been a favorite small executive sedan among the professionals since its debut in 1993. But in recent years (2000-2006), many of them have decided to opt for the 3-series instead because the C-Class doesn't look appealing enough. Let's see if the W204 C-Class will change the way around.

The car is very agile as it is fitted with a feature called Agility Control suspension. It uses a hard and soft shock absorber to face different types of road conditions to assure an outstanding ride quality. Besides that, the sound insulation of the car is great as they have designed the car to be as aerodynamic as possible. In terms of styling, the car has bits of the S-Class and CLS. Performance wise, the engine is smooth and produces a 184bhp. To me at least, I think there's not much issue with the performance.

The rear of the W204 C-Class is a big improvement over its predecessor. It has rear lamps with LED side indicator which looks great and sharp at night. Also, it has some chrome lines which dignifies a typical Mercedes-Benz. Safety wise, the car is fitted with adaptive braking system which brakes harder when much pressure is applied onto the brake pad.

The interior is very driver-orientated. Steering wheel is has a very sporty feel to it but it feels light (to me at least). The cabin is very well-built and the finishing is outsanding. Mercedes even put soft touch buttons into top notch quality. COMAND APS is not given in the car because only C230 Kompressor (now C250 CGI) only has the feature. The multimedia system in this car is an Audio 20 CD which features a 5 inch screen with a 6-CD changer. Furthermore, the sound system is great and there are various sound settings in the system.

The rear space is very roomy and could fit 3 adults comfortably for long distance travel. The seats are equipped with ISO-FIX which is the international standard for children attachment point seats. Hence, there shouldn't have any worries for children's safety.

The boot space is very generous as it could fit 2 golf bags perfectly. However, it has lack of practicality as the back seat could not fold. But I don't think this is a big issue because most of the typical Mercedes-Benz owners will not bother because practicality is not their main priority.

Summary

A Mercedes C-Class to remember.

• Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz
• Model: C-Class W204 Avantgarde (C200 Kompressor)
• Transmisson: Tiptronic
• Engine: 4-Cylinder Petrol
• Horsepower: 184hp 
• 0-100km/h: 8.8 seconds
• Top Speed: 232 km/h

Pros: 

• Fun to drive
• Economical
• A major upgrade over its predecessor 
• Value for money
• Has many safety features (Brake Assist, Adaptive Brake System, Agility Control.....)

Cons:

• Impractical
• Official dealership only give 2 years warranty

Overall: 8/10 rating


Regards,
Thomas Lee.

The Porsche Cayenne S 1st Generation Facelifted Review

Many have never considered the Porsche Cayenne a sports car, but I don't agree. Why? 

The Porsche Cayenne, which was first launched in 2002 was in the centre of controversy because many people didn't want a Porsche with 4 doors. However, the Cayenne soon proved that it was no different than any other Porsches. The model I tested here is a Porsche Cayenne S with an V8 engine. Although it has a 340hp, its acceleration is still 7.1 seconds from 0-100km/h.

The interior is as luxury and sporty as any other Porsche sports cars. When you get in, you don't feel like you are in an SUV. The gearbox is nice to play with but a PDK gearbox is much preferred.

The one I tested was a re-cond UK spec model so the navigation system is a problem. It could only view Europe but not Asia maps. This is a huge problem faced by many re-cond cars because there isn't any solution to it yet.

The speedometer is great and easy to read. It has a computer system in the middle which tells you the car's status. For example, the meter in the picture is showing the suspension status.

I love the 4WD system very much. It works very well with the car. It has comfort, normal and sport mode for different occasions and situations. You can also tune the suspension to make the car lower or higher. That is a feature not many cars have during its time. So, that's a bonus!

Parking is easy!

Summary


Big outside but small inside.

• Manufacturer: Porsche
• Model: Cayenne S 1st Generation Facelifted
• Transmisson: Tiptronic
• Engine: 4.5 liter V8
• Horsepower: 340hp 
• 0-100km/h: 7.1 seconds
• Top Speed: 241 km/h

Pros: 

• Fun to drive
• Feels like a sports car
• Can tune the suspension from the 4WD system

Cons:

• Using the same chassis as Volkswagen Touareg but more expensive
• Impractical 
• Leather seats are not as comfortable as other SUVs
• Consume a lot of fuel

Overall: 6/10 rating

Regards,
Thomas Lee.

The Mercedes-Benz SL300 R129 Review

Are you a classic enthusiast? If you do, you should seriously read this review. 

Recently, I borrowed an SL300 R129 from a friend. It is a 1992 registered left-hand drive car with a manual transmission gearbox. How often do you find a manual Mercedes-Benz... Rite?

The car was very not well-maintained but the electric leather seats still function! Aside the poor maintenance of the car, it is a fantastic car to drive. Along with my brother, we cruised to Putrajaya from Subang Jaya and it was a great experience. This is not any ordinary manual car, it went to 6000 rpm in 1st gear! However, it didn't mean the acceleration was quick. The drawback is that you can only hear the roaring sound at 1st gear but the car still don't move. It only accelerated after the 2nd gear.

The interior is almost alike to the Mercedes-Benz W140 S-Class. It feels comfy, luxury and surprisingly as roomy as the S-Class. But the plastic wood does look very awful and dull. The trunk is large and could fit 2 golf bags in a minute. The interior of the facelifted R129 SL is a lot nicer than the pre-facelift.

If you are looking for a modern classic at a price between RM80k to RM150k, you should consider the R129. But never ever get the manual transmission because it is lack of power. Try to find a facelifted SL500 with a low mileage and a good condition. But don't expect quick acceleration in the SL because it is meant for a weekend cruise.

Summary

A great roadster with no sense of occasion.

• Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz
• Model: SL300 R129
• Transmisson: Manual
• Engine: 3.0 liter 12-valve SOHC
• Horsepower: 190hp 
• 0-100km/h: 10 secs
• Top Speed: 210km/h

Pros:

• Great sound during acceleration
• Comfortable and roomy interior
• Manual transmission is fun to play with

Cons: 

• Slow pick-up although acceleration sound is loud 
• Poor sound system 
• Plastic Wood Panel on dashboard
• Steering wheel is too big

Overall: 6/10 rating

Regards,
Thomas Lee.

The BMW 325i E46 Review

I have tested a BMW E46 borrowed from a friend, it is a 325i registered from Auto Bavaria during the year 2001.

The BMW 3-Series E46 is the best-selling BMW sedan in its old days. But its popularity still remains as many love the design of the car. Now, you can get an E46 for only RM40k to RM80k depending on its year and specs. 

However, there are some drawbacks of the car. First, it is lacked of power. You can't feel its 184 hp when you accelerate hard on the car. Second, it has the worst automatic gearbox in the world. When it is cruising on the highway, the gear suddenly stuck and the engine went off. That's pretty embarrassing for a BMW.

Many owners of E46 3-Series have modified their cars as the aftermarket parts and accessories can be found anywhere in an affordable price. But please be aware because they are not always reliable as many are not original parts. One of my friends who went for an upmarket angle lamps for his 318i facelifted E46 and an upgrade on its sent his car to the workshop almost every week. Moreover, his car broke down many times because of the stupid gearbox.

Summary


A BMW not to remember....

• Manufacturer: BMW
• Model: 325i E46 Pre-Facelift
• Transmisson: Tiptronic
• Engine: 2.5 liter
• Horsepower: 187hp 
• 0-100km/h: 8.5 seconds
• Top Speed: 225 km/h

Pros:

• Parts are cheap
• Service is not as expensive as other BMW models
• Still looks good even in 2011
• Looks better than the W203 C-Class

Cons:

• Unreliable if you change the original parts to aftermarket parts
• Unresponsive Automatic Gearbox 
• Acceleration not as quick as what's in the spec sheet

Overall: 6/10 rating

Regards,
Thomas Lee.

Toyota Celica 7th Generation Review

How often do you see a Toyota Celica nowadays? Or do you even know what car is it? The latest Celica have been around for 10 years and you can now get one second-hand Celica for below RM100k. That's a reasonable price but mileage is certainly high. It was a car people dreamed of in its old days but it is not match to other modern sports cars. 

If you planning to get a sports car below RM100k, you should probably go for a second hand Nissan Silva, that would be a wise choice. 

Summary


Handsome looks but pointless car

• Manufacturer: Toyota
• Model: Celica 7th Generation T230
• Transmisson: Available in Automatic and Manual 
• Engine: 1.8 liter
• Horsepower: 190hp
• 0-100km/h: 7.5 seconds
• Top Speed: 190 km/h

Pros:

• Acceleration is considerably quick 
• Still looks good in 2011.
• Cheap to buy now.

Cons: 

• Top speed is not high enough 
• Pointless car. (not for cruising nor sports)
• Spare parts will be limited because production is ceased

Overall: 5/10 rating

Regards,

Thomas Lee.

The 2011 Renault Mégane RS Review

"Renault? Are you serious?" a typical Malaysian asks. Renault is not a popular marque in Malaysia but will it change? Today, we will talk about the last Renault Mégane RS which was launched just a few months back. And that is the perfect answer to the question.

The previous Mégane RS was sold in Malaysia for RM235,000, which was to compete with the Volkswagen Golf GTI. However, the sales wasn't very successful as it didn't market well here. The latest Mégane RS is another insanely quick machine around.

With its 6 sec to 100km/h and a top speed of 250km/h from its 250 bhp, the Golf GTI is no match. Fitted with Recaro Sports Seats with side airbags, Brembo brakes, and a 6-speed manual transmisson, this car is no doubt the hottest hatch in town. It is only priced below RM230k... and for those features, it is definitely a good buy. Quickly get one of these now if you are planning to get a hot hatch!

Summary


A car not built for everyone, but for you.

• Manufacturer: Renault
• Model: Mégane RS
• Transmisson: Manual
• Engine: 2.0 liter turbocharged 16-valve 14
• Horsepower: 230hp
• 0-100km/h: 6 seconds
• Top Speed: 241 km/h

Pros:

• Worth every single penny (only RM20k more expensive than the Golf GTI and cheaper than the Scirocco)
• High specification compared to other hot hatches
• Looks a lot better than its predecessor
• 3 Year Warranty or 100,000 km

Cons:

• Resale Value is not as good as the Golf GTI.

Overall: 9/10 rating

Regards,
Thomas Lee.

The Toyota Prius Review

The Toyota Prius's price has been revised  from RM175k (including insurance) to RM139k (including insurance) because of the reduce tax of hybrid cars below 2.0. The Toyota Prius is a hybrid car. If you don't know what's a hybrid car, it is a vehicle that runs on petrol and battery. Trust me, this car worth every penny! It comes with a 3 years warranty and 2 years free maintenance. Moreover, this Toyota Prius is fully imported from Japan which means you would expect high end specs such as (HUD) head up display, high-grade fabric seats, cruise control, 7 airbags and etc.

Projector Lamps give a better vision for the driver. 

A sign that shows that you do care for the environment, but do you?

Side-Cornering Indicator.

There are much spaces in the Toyota Prius. In the trunk, it could fit 3 golf bags and many other equipments The seats at the rear could be folded flat to fit bicycles and other bulky objects. Overall, the spaces in the car is pretty decent and could fit 5 adults comfortably.

To start the car, simply press the button (POWER) and you will hear a 'cling' sound. Trust me, this will be the most silent car ever!

Tilt Steering means more agility in your hands. There are multi-touch controls on the steering wheels to control the air-cond temperature and the volume control of the stereo. (Steering wheel is leather wrapped)

There is no tiptronic mode for the gearbox as tt is fully automatic. To my view, I think the gearbox looks very futuristic. I believe this gearbox concept is also applied in the new BMW's 7 speed gearbox. If you notice, there are 3 different buttons of driving modes beside the gearbox. They are PWR mode, ECO mode and EV mode. The PWR mode means that the car would only run on petrol whereas the ECO mode means that it runs on petrol and battery at the same time and the EV mode means that it only runs on battery. When the car is running on EV mode, it will change to ECO mode automatically when the battery runs out or the car is running more than 45km/h.

The stereo comes with an intergrated Bluetooth network for wireless connection network between a mobile phone. 

There is a (tv-look alike) panel at the dashboard which shows the battery indicator, speedometer and the odometer. It is very convenient system for the driver because shows how much fuel is burnt and how much of battery is left so that you would know when to fuel up. Talking about petrol, this car runs on only 6 litres of petrol per 100km. That could probably save you RM3600 per year.... PHEW!

The Hybrid Synergy Drive is recognized as one of the most iconic technology of all times in the motoring history because of the way it works. This technology is also used in other Toyota's hybrid models. If you want to know more about the technology, please check it in the internet. This technology has existed in the market for several years already and there were hardly any problems about it which is what makes the car reliable. 

The 

To compare the Toyota Prius with the Honda Civic Hybrid, I would recommend you the Prius. Although the new Honda Civic Hybrid's price has been revised from RM128k to RM108k, the hybrid technology is not as efficient as the Prius. Besides that, the Honda Civic Hybrid looks too much alike to the normal Honda Civic which is running on petrol.

Price before revision: 

• RM175,000 (Peninsular Malaysia)

Price after revision:

• RM139,900 (Peninsular Malaysia)
• RM141,500 (Sabah and Sarawak)

Summary

Built for reality. 

• Manufacturer: Toyota
• Model: Prius 3rd Generation
• Transmisson: CVT Auto 
• Engine: 1.8 liter Hybrid Synergy Drive
• Horsepower: 134hp (engine + electric motor)
• 0-100km/h: 10.1 seconds
• Top Speed: 180 km/h

Pros: 

• High Specifications (includes Head-Up Display, Keyless Entry, Keyless Go, Cruise Control....)
• Can travel 1000km in a 45 litre tank
• Affordable Price 
• CBU from Japan

Cons:

• Cabin feels plastic
• No electric fold side-mirrors
• No other variants for different needs

Overall: 7/10 rating

Regards,

Thomas Lee.